Locking apparatus combined with ignition switch in a motorcar

ABSTRACT

A locking apparatus in a motorcar comprises an operating portion connected between a cylinder lock and an electric ignition switch, the operating portion acting on a locking member which is moved back and forth by rotation of the operation member between a locking position and a released position. An engaging member is advanced by the rotation of the cylinder lock to engage the locking member in the released position and prevent movement thereof to the locking position. A stop member is arranged to project when a key is inserted into the lock to block return movement of the engaging member. When the key is removed, the stop member returns to its original position and allows the engaging member to move and free the locking member for movement to its locking position.

United States Patent [1 1 Kuroki LOCKING APPARATUS COMBINED WITHIGNITION SWITCH IN A MOTORCAR [75] Inventor: Shigenobu Kuroki, Miyazaki,Japan [73] Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Rokku,

Miyazaki-gun, Miyazaki-ken, Japan [22] Filed: July 16, 1971 [21] App].No.2 163,302

[ June 19, 1973 Primary ExaminerAlbert G. Craig, Jr.

Attorney-Eric H. Waters, John G. Schwartz and J. Harold Nissen [57]ABSTRACT A locking apparatus in a motorcar comprises an operatingportion connected between a cylinder lock and an electric ignitionswitch, the operating portion acting on [30] Foreign ApplicationPriority Data a locking member which is moved back and forth by July 22,1970 Japan .45 63519 rotation of the operation member between a lo kingposition and a released position. An engaging member [52] US. Cl. 70/252is advanced y the o i n f he cylind r l ck to en- [51] Int. Cl. B60r25/02 g g the locking member in h re posi i n and [58] Field of Search70/252 prevent movement h f to h l cking position. A stop member isarranged to project when a key is in [56] Referen e Cit d serted intothe lock to block return movement of the UNITED STATES PATENTS engagingmember. When the key is removed, the stop 4 member returns to itsoriginal position and allows the g g z zt engaging member to move andfree the locking mem- 3 650 131 3 1972 Eiche auerlllijliilililii: .3: 70252 for mmemem its locking Posmon' FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 9Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1,08l,367 8/l967 Great Britain 70/252 t 22 l Ia 20 l 18 I ]421 l 1 'l9 5 v4 3 l n x l f 2 l t Z 1 L 5 7 11 lll LOCKINGAPPARATUS COMBINED WITH IGNITION SWITCH IN A MOTORCAR BRIEF SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to a locking apparatus in amotorcar of the type in which the operation of a locking member for asteering wheel, a parking brake or the like is effected by a cylinderlock for operating an electric ignition switch for an internalcombustion engine of the motorcar.

An object of the invention is to provide locking apparatus of theforegoing type in which the locking member can be brought to its lockingposition only when the cylinder lock is rotated to the OFF position ofthe electric switch and the key is completely removed.

The invention is characterized in that an operating portion connectedbetween a cylinder lock and an electric ignition switch is provided witha locking member so engaged therewith as to be movable back and forth byrotation of the operating portion between locking and releasedpositions. An engaging member is arranged to engage the locking memberby the rotation of the cylinder lock, for preventing movement of thelocking member to locking position. A stop member is arranged to projectat the front end of the engaging member when the key is inserted intothe lock to prevent return movement of the engaging member whereby thelocking member is held in its released position. When the key isremoved, the stop member is retracted to allow the engaging member tomove to its original position and the locking member is allowed to movetoward its locking position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view ofone embodiment according to this invention FIG. 2 is a longitudinalsectional side view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III III in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the apparatus in alocking condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Numeral 1 denotes a lock casing secured to the bodyof a motorcar, and a cylinder lock 2 is mounted in the front portion ofthe lock casing 1 and is provided with an operating rod 3 integrallyextended therefrom so as to be connected at its rear end to an electricignition switch 4 for an internal combustion engine of the motorcar. Asemi-circular cam 5 is formed on the operating rod 3 and a lockingmember 6, into which the cam 5 is inserted, is provided at one end witha locking rod 7 for engaging a steering wheel shaft to lock the sameagainst rotation. The locking member 6 is urged from its other end by aspring 8, so that the rod 7 is moved back and forth by the rotation ofthe operating rod 3. An engaging member 9 is mounted for slidablemovement in the'longitudinal direction along the outer surface of thecasing of the cylinder lock 2, and a receiving member 10 projecting fromthe inner surface of member 9 is engaged against a cam plate 11 providedon the periphery of the rear surface of the cylinder lock 2. A shoulderportion 12 is formed on the outer surface of the engaging member 9 andmember 9 is urged forwards by the action of a spring 14 against theshoulder portion 12 through a ball 13. Upon rotation of the cylinderlock 2, the engaging member 9 is moved rearwardly by displacement of aprojecting portion 15 of the cam plate 11, against the action of thespring 14 and the engaging member 9 comes into engagement in an engagingrecess 17 in the side surface of the locking member 6 previouslydisplaced along a guide opening 16 in the lock casing l.

Numeral 18 denotes a cap mounted on the cylinder lock 2, and on theinside thereof a lever 20 is pivotally attached to the cylinder lock 2through an eccentric pin 21, such that lever 20 projects at its back endinto a keyhole 19 in casing 2. A stop member 22 is pivotally attached tothe lock casing 1 on the outside through a pin 23 such that stop member22 rests on the lever 20 and is at right angles thereto while at thesame time the stop member is positioned below the front end portion ofthe engaging member 9.

When a key is inserted in the keyhole 19, the lever 20 swings outwardsand the stop member 22 is pushed outwards so as to raise the front endof the engaging member 9, as shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 2. If,then, the cylinder lock 2 is rotated by the key, the locking member 6 israised by the cam 5 while the engaging member 9 is pushed by cam plate11 against the action of the spring 14, and a projection on member 9 isinserted in the engaging recess 17 of the displaced locking member 6 soas to be in engagement therewith as shown in FIG. 4. At this time, thestop member 22 is released from its support of the front end portion ofthe engaging member 9 and is positioned behind the front end of engagingmember 9 so as to prevent return movement of the engaging member 9.Thus, the engaging member 9 is kept in engagement with the displacedlocking member 6 and any displacement of the locking member 6 towardsits locking position is prevented. This condition is maintained evenafter the cylinder lock 2 is rotated by the key and the engagementbetween the receiving member 10 of the engaging member 9 and theprojecting portion 15 of the cam plate 11 is released, and thus thiscondition is maintained when the key is rotated to any of the ONpositions in FIG. 1. Additionally this condition is maintained even ifthe key is rotated in the reverse direction to the OFF position. If,however, the key is removed at this OFF position, the support of thelever 20 by the key is released and the blocking of the engaging member9 by the stop member 22 is removed, so that the engaging member 9 isretracted by the action of the spring 14 and is released from engagementwith the locking member 6, and thus the locking member 6 is displaced bythe action of the spring 8 to the locking position.

Thus, according to this invention, even if the cylinder lock is rotatedto the OFF position the locking member cannot be brought to its lockingposition as long as the key is not removed from the keyhole. Thus thereis no danger that the steering wheel will become locked during operationof the motorcar when the ignition switch is turned off. Thereby safetyof operation and the avoidance of accidents can be obtained.

What is claimed is: a

I. A locking apparatus for a motorcar having an ignition switch, saidapparatus comprising a cylinder lock with a keyway for insertion of akey, the lock including a rotatable operating portion coupled to theswitch such that rotation of the operating portion will produceoperation of the switch, a locking member having locking and releasedpositions and coupled with'said operating portion to be moved betweensaid locking and released positions when the operating portion isrotated, a displaceable engaging member operatively coupled with saidcylinder lock to be moved between a first position in which the engagingmember locks said locking member in the released position and a secondposition in which the locking member is released for movement to thelocking position, and stop means for blocking movement of the engagingmember to said second position when said key is inserted in the keyway,said stop means comprising a pivotal lever having an initial positionpartly projecting into said keyway, and a pivotal stop member acted onby said lever for movement into blocking position to prevent movement ofthe engaging member to said second position.

2. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said operatingportion includes a cam engaging said locking member, the apparatusfurther comprising spring means acting on said locking member urging thesame to said locking position.

3. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 2 comprising a projection onsaid engaging member, said locking member having a recess in which saidprojection is received when the locking member has been displaced toreleased position and the engaging member is in said first position.

4. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 3 comprising a second springmeans, said second spring means acting on said engaging member andurging the same to its second position, and a second cam on saidcylinder lock, said second cam being positioned to displace the engagingmember to said first position against the action of the second springmeans when the lock is turned.

5. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said locking memberand engaging member are supported for movement at right angles to oneanother.

6. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said engagingmember is slidable on said cylinder lock and said stop member is pivotalto a raised position external of the cylinder lock to edgewise abut saidengaging member in said blocking position.

7. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said pivotal leveris eccentrically connected to said cylinder lock for pivotal movement ina slot therein.

8. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 7 comprising a fixed pivotfor said stop member external of the cylinder lock, said engaging memberresting on said stop member when the engaging member is in said secondposition.

9. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said pivotal leverand stop member are pivotal about perpendicular axes.

1. A locking apparatus for a motorcar having an ignition switch, saidapparatus comprising a cylinder lock with a keyway for insertion of akey, the lock including a rotatable operating portion coupled to theswitch such that rotation of the operating portion will produceoperation of the switch, a locking member having locking and releasedpositions and coupled with said operating portion to be moved betweensaid locking and released positions when the operatiNg portion isrotated, a displaceable engaging member operatively coupled with saidcylinder lock to be moved between a first position in which the engagingmember locks said locking member in the released position and a secondposition in which the locking member is released for movement to thelocking position, and stop means for blocking movement of the engagingmember to said second position when said key is inserted in the keyway,said stop means comprising a pivotal lever having an initial positionpartly projecting into said keyway, and a pivotal stop member acted onby said lever for movement into blocking position to prevent movement ofthe engaging member to said second position.
 2. A locking apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said operating portion includes a camengaging said locking member, the apparatus further comprising springmeans acting on said locking member urging the same to said lockingposition.
 3. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 2 comprising aprojection on said engaging member, said locking member having a recessin which said projection is received when the locking member has beendisplaced to released position and the engaging member is in said firstposition.
 4. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 3 comprising asecond spring means, said second spring means acting on said engagingmember and urging the same to its second position, and a second cam onsaid cylinder lock, said second cam being positioned to displace theengaging member to said first position against the action of the secondspring means when the lock is turned.
 5. A locking apparatus as claimedin claim 4 wherein said locking member and engaging member are supportedfor movement at right angles to one another.
 6. A locking apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said engaging member is slidable on saidcylinder lock and said stop member is pivotal to a raised positionexternal of the cylinder lock to edgewise abut said engaging member insaid blocking position.
 7. A locking apparatus as claimed in claim 6wherein said pivotal lever is eccentrically connected to said cylinderlock for pivotal movement in a slot therein.
 8. A locking apparatus asclaimed in claim 7 comprising a fixed pivot for said stop memberexternal of the cylinder lock, said engaging member resting on said stopmember when the engaging member is in said second position.
 9. A lockingapparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said pivotal lever and stopmember are pivotal about perpendicular axes.